Ukrainian service members ride in a military vehicle, amid Russia鈥檚 attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine September 24, 2022. REUTERS
Shelling hit southern Ukraine late on Saturday while Russia sought to defend its seven-month old war at the United Nations even as it moves to escalate the conflict.
Kyiv and Western nations say referendums in territories Russia has seized by force are a sham designed to justify a ramping up of hostilities with newly drafted troops, after battlefield losses in Ukraine in recent weeks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the U.N. General Assembly and the world鈥檚 press on Saturday, casting opposition to Russia鈥檚 assault on its neighbor as limited to Washington and countries under its sway. Nearly three-quarters of countries in the assembly voted to reprimand Russia and demand it withdraw its troops shortly after the Feb. 24 invasion.
Kyiv and Moscow traded blame for shelling in Ukraine鈥檚 Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday.
Regional governor Oleksandr Starukh said on Telegram that Russian forces launched 鈥渁 massive missile strike鈥� on the region from about 10 planes, wounding at least three people.
Russia鈥檚 RIA state news agency, citing unnamed sources, said Ukrainian forces shelled a granary and fertilizer warehouses in the region.
Reuters was unable to verify either sides鈥� claims.
Lavrov, in a news conference following his speech to the assembly in New York, said the Ukrainian regions where votes are underway would be under Moscow鈥檚 鈥渇ull protection鈥� if they are annexed by Russia, including with nuclear weapons.
The Group of Seven industrialized economies have said they will not recognize the results of the votes.
Ukraine requested an urgent U.N. Security Council meeting over the referendums, accusing Russia of violating the U.N. Charter by attempting to change Ukraine鈥檚 borders, foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter.
Putin on Wednesday ordered the country鈥檚 first mobilization since World War Two, an announcement that saw some Russian men headed swiftly to the borders, with traffic at frontier crossings with Finland and Georgia surging and prices for air tickets from Moscow rocketing.
More than 2,000 people have been detained across Russia for protesting the draft, including 798 people detained in 33 towns on Saturday alone, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info.
Frustration has even spread to pro-Kremlin media, with one editor at the state-run RT news channel complaining that problems like call-up papers being sent to the wrong men were 鈥渋nfuriating people.鈥�
When asked on Saturday why so many Russians were leaving the country, Lavrov pointed to the right of freedom of movement.
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